If ever you want an example of why the agenda matters, and the negative impact it has on our beloved City, even if you believe it only extends to a bias in the media and punditry, then the James Milner transfer is one of the best examples in recent times.
The choice for James was pretty stark, one club in the Champions League, offering a huge salary, playing with 'proven' world class players where, despite missing out on a trophy, we were still the highest goalscorers, had the best goal difference, and towards the end of the season were clearly demonstrating our credentials to go on and push for trophy's again, or, another team that finished 7th in the league, offered no champions league and demonstrated abysmal form towards the end of the season conceding SIX against Stoke City in the final game.
Taking the facts, and looking at it from a purely football perspective, it should have been a no brainer, take the team names away and offer that choice to any footballer - just who in their right mind would choose the latter team ? Well James Milner just has done. That despite him being given the additional game time he was promised.
And therein lies the power and negative influence of the agenda against our club. Despite every football reason being in our favour, Milner still saw Liverpool as a more attractive option. Forget the signing on fee, we could have let Milners contract expire and pay him a similar signing on fee. Not only that, he chooses to announce he is leaving over a 'month' before he can officially sign for Liverpool, a further kick in the teeth, that it doesn't even appear to have been a difficult decision for him.
Why under those footballing circumstances could he choose Liverpool over us ? It defies belief, unless you understand the powerful and insidious nature of the agenda, something that Milner must undoubtedly have felt and understood.
I can give you any number of reasons, despite the obvious footballing facts in our favour, why Milner chose the dippers over us:
Continually being overlooked by England in big tournaments despite being a mainstay of a domestic team that has dominated for the last 5 years, ffs, Woy has been selecting Fabian Delph & Cleverley over Milner in more games than I care to mention, take the last game, Henderson, Delph and f*cking Carrick - selected over Milner- by rights on that measure we really shouldn't give two hoots he's leaving - but we all know he's better than all of them - but he still wasn't picked. The World Cup, Milner gets picked in the dead rubber against Costa Rica, Euro Championship campaign Milner largely ignored except for the San Marino game - what an absolute kick in the teeth for a player of his quality.
The total and utter lack of recognition (except by City fans) of Milners achievements despite being a regular and intrinsic part of a premier league Champions team and winner of 4 trophies in 5 years and being in the top two for all 5 seasons
This is probably Milners last big contract, his mind is starting to think about life after football and he knows that being known as a mainstay of a Manchester City team is not going to do him any favours in getting into punditry or media jobs or making his mark in the England team - now he will likely end up serving 5/6 years at Dipperpool his stock post football rises considerably - and Milner is savvy enough to work out that this is how it works in our corrupt game.
Recognition - just you watch now he's playing for the dippers - it will be like the second coming of Gerrard, you mark my words, back in the England team and getting the RECOGNITION that his football talent at City has deserved - he knows he will get this and I know it. F*ck me, he's only just signed and I'm now seeing quotes about more assists than Mata, more Goals than Fabregas - and they've only just announced the signing FFS.
This sh*t matters to people, to players ,being recognised, being loved, lauded, having your talent put out there to the masses. With City, his talent has been hidden under a bushell because the only one's shouting about it are us the City fans.
Milner should have been a mainstay of the England team, the general footballing public should have been talking about his quality but everything he did, everything he contributed to the City team got zero recognition from the mainstream media and pundits. He can't have failed to notice the year we beat the Scousers to the league how the media were lauding Liverpools performances week in and week out - whilst we just went about our business, outscoring them and getting zero accolades.
Look at the Manager of the year awards and Writers player of the year its there in black and white, the agenda laid bare by the complete and utter lack of recognition of our teams talents.
The result, Milner decides that Liverpool, a failing team offers a better option for his career than the blues. Its sickening, it really is.
My genuine hope is that we were happy to let him go, that we saw it as freeing up a place for homegrown talent from the academy but I fear that we did fight to keep him, and lost, despite all the footballing reasons being in our favour.
